Organized crime: we should disseminate best practice and common legal standards in the fight against organized crime in the EU.

Conclusions from a hearing with national experts of the Special Committee against organized crime

"It is crucial that the European Parliament's Special Committee on organized crime works on drafting an innovative text dealing with the several different mafias operating in Europe or in connection with Europe. The presence at this hearing of national and European experts shows that organized crime has no borders and is not confined to any one country," said Salvatore Iacolino MEP, Rapporteur of the Special Committee against Organised crime, corruption and money laundering.

"As the economic crisis provides fertile ground for criminal networks, the Special Committee against organised crime is, more than ever, relevant and newsworthy. It is important that we go beyond the collective idea that mafias are an Italian problem and that awareness is raised: organised crime is a European problem," highlighted Véronique Mathieu MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Special Committee.

"Our goal - and as Rapporteur of the Special Committee I will work towards this - must be to encourage Member States to take into account and use best practice in the fight against organized crime. We need to develop effective means at a European level, starting, for example, from what Italy is doing on the issue of confiscation of mafia assets," said Salvatore Iacolino.

"The Special Committee has a crucial role to play in this regard, to spread information and as a centre of expertise bringing together best practice and local experience. Let's not forget that security and justice are fundamental rights of EU citizens," said Veronique Mathieu.

"For this reason we need to strengthen police and judicial cooperation between Member States and third countries as well as the coordination between different agencies, such as Europol and Eurojust. Our work in this committee should aim at a harmonization of the legislation on these issues, at the recognition of this type of criminal organisation and at the enforceability of judgments. We should have common legal standards in the future, starting from an increased and better-managed flow of information," said Mr Iacolino.

The panel of experts participating in the hearing on Tuesday 19 June included: Giovanni Kessler, Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF); Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol; Jean François Gayraud, Commissaire divisionnaire (France); Pietro Grasso, National Anti-mafia Prosecutor (Italy); Alfonso D'Alfonso, Director of the Anti-Mafia Investigation Department (Italy); Jean-Jacques Colombi, Commissaire divisionnaire, Head of the International Relations Unit, Ministry of the Interior (France); Eugene Corcoran, Chief Bureau Officer, Criminal Assets Bureau (Ireland); Franco La Torre, President of the Network of civil society organisations committed to the social struggle against transnational organised crime (FLARE).